


From a spark bursts a flame

by YallHearSumn



Series: RhodeyTony tingz [6]
Category: Iron Man (Comics), Iron Man (Movies), Iron Man (Ultimateverse), Marvel, Marvel (Comics), Marvel 616, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Christmas, Family, Family Fluff, Fun, Gen, Healing, Holidays, M/M, Maria Stark's A+ Parenting, Maria Stark's Good Parenting, New York City, Omega Tony Stark, Omega Verse, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Parent Tony Stark, Period Typical Attitudes, Protective Tony Stark, Reconciliation, Tags Are Hard, Tony Feels, Tony-centric
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-12
Updated: 2019-12-11
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:34:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,208
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21763849
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YallHearSumn/pseuds/YallHearSumn
Summary: Tony and Dante head to New York for the holidays, hoping to rest and get away from the stress of day-to-day life.Of course most of his previous social circle just happens to be in the city as the same time as him.December 1990.
Relationships: Edwin Jarvis & Tony Stark, James "Rhodey" Rhodes/Tony Stark, Maria Stark & Tony Stark, Tony Stark & Tiberius Stone
Series: RhodeyTony tingz [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1477535
Comments: 9
Kudos: 89





	From a spark bursts a flame

**Author's Note:**

> Hi!! New instalment 💛
> 
> Time skip through Dante's first year a bit, but we'll retell it in flashbacks and character exposition if necessary lol
> 
> Only 2/3 chapters long
> 
> Italics are Maria/Tony speaking Italian.

"I'm so jealous of Edwin, we're gonna miss you kids around the house." 

Tony smiles softly, hugging Dante closer as he stands by the bus waiting to board. "It's only two weeks, uncle T, not forever." 

"Still," Terrance says, loosely grabbing Dante's foot with a fond smile. "New York is pretty during the holidays, and you might remember that you like it there and never want to come back. My little man is going to forget all about me, won't he?" 

Dante giggles, gurgling happily as he tries to grab Terrance's nose. "Pa!" 

"Don't worry uncle T, no one in New York can barbeque like you," Tony jokes, elbowing the man in his side. "Besides, you can always hop on a bus and come drag us out from wherever we're hiding." 

"Yeah, I know," Terrance grumbles, shuffling them up into the bus after a quick hug. "Don't let my boy freeze to death out there, Tony Rhodes." 

*** 

With the society parties that his parents host during the holidays, Tony knows that Jarvis and Anna won't have much free time, so instead of staying with them during their trip, he books them into a reasonably decent hotel. 

Rhodey's still on the west coast, a month away from an eighteen month-long deployment after his promotion. They haven't really talked about, but Rhodey sounds grim whenever he gets a chance to call home and Tony's too afraid to breach the subject. He'd walked for hours when he got the news, and Dante had been fast asleep in Roberta's arms when he got back. 

The first week they're in town, shut in and watching Die Hard (aka the best Christmas movie ever) on a particularly snowy day, Tony reconnects with his mother. 

Maria is clad in a warm coat and a shawl, glove covered hands clasped in front of nervously when Tony opens the door. He's stunned for a minute, and then he realises she's talking. 

"-ant to see. I asked Jarvis where you'd be, and he said you'd be here." She tucks a stray piece of hair behind her ear, peering over Tony's shoulder. "Can I come in?" 

Robotically, he steps to the side, eyes never leaving her. _"Work, brain, work," _he thinks, directing her to the couch.__

____

____

"Uh, does Howard know you're here?" 

His mother let's out a harsh laugh, a sound he'd never think would come from her. " _Now why would I tell that man I'm coming to see you, Love? So that he can lock me in the house and drive out here to banish you from New York?_

____

____

"Point," Tony replies, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Did you want some tea or some water? The room's got a mini-bar if you want something stronger." 

"No need for that," she says, reaching down to the bag she had brought with her, "I brought us some hot cocoa and takeaway from Julian's. How about you put the kettle on, dear?" 

*** 

_"So, she tried to flirt with you in front of James?"_

____

____

_"Yep, she almost turned purple when Rhodey kissed me and introduced himself as my husband. It almost made putting up with her relentless harassment worthwhile."_

____

____

_"You should look for another job, maybe something in a bigger city. California has Silicon Valley, no? You'd be closer to James too."_

__

__

Tony gets up when he hears a whine from the room, excusing himself. Dante is standing up against the side of his crib, chewing on a fist. "Maaam!" 

"Hello, baby. Are you done napping?" Tony plants a kiss to the side of his head, bouncing in place to make the boy giggle. "There's someone special inside, do you want to meet her?" 

"No," he says determinedly, and Tony bursts out into laughter. 'No' had become Dante's favourite word, he never seemed to get tired of it. 

"That's just too bad, because she really wants to meet you, _baby." _Maria is standing at the door with watery eyes, a hand over her heart. "He's beautiful, Tony."__

____

____

"Isn't he?" Tony asks, marvelling at his little boy. "He turned one in September." 

"And already so robust. He must have gotten that from his daddy," Maria says walking over to run a finger over his cheek. "Your mommy was tiny when he was born, but I liked it," she smiles up at Tony, "I always felt I could take him away into my body and just hold him forever." 

Tony laughs, discretely trying to wipe away a tear. "No need to get sappy, Mom. Do you want to hold him?" Tony asks, offering the baby to his mother who nods and sticks out her arms. Dante gurgles loudly, grabbing onto the pearls Maria has around her neck, and immediately tries to stick it in his mouth. 

"Hello," Maria whispers, bopping their noses against each other's lightly. "I'm your grandma." The baby giggles, leaning away from her to grab her nose. 

Tony chuckled, rubbing the infant's back in circles. "I'll go make his dinner, why don't you two get acquainted?" 

"Dow," the baby cried as Maria followed Tony back to the living area, the woman looking at Tony quizzically. "Awk!" 

"He wants to walk," Tony said amused, turning to the baby. "You spend all day sleeping and then once you finally get up you want to make demands, mister?" 

"Ahhhhh." He twisted himself backwards, trying to get to the floor. 

"Okay, okay, grandma will walk with you." 

*** 

Maria walked around the room with Dante's hands in her own, lighting up every time the boy giggled or took a wobbly step to match hers. He was determined, and chatty, and had an iron will, refusing to eat until Maria put him in her lap and gave him a piece of chicken breast to chew on. 

"Unbelievable," Tony says in amazement, leaning back in his chair with his arms crossed over his chest. "You sell me out without even blinking?" 

"Oh, hush now, Tony. I think it's a rule that grandma's are always their grandchildren's favourite." 

"I've never heard that before," Tony mumbles, wiping the sauce leaking down Dante's chin off with a cloth. 

Laughing, Maria rests a hand on her son's head, the other wrapped around her grandson. "It's life, Anthony. We make the rules up as we go, just like with parenting." 

*** 

Things aren't _right _again necessarily, when she leaves, but Tony does feel a huge weight lift off of his shoulders. He hadn't even realised how much he missed his mother, how much he was longing for her to reach out, until she'd been right in front of him. Tony understood there wasn't much that could help their situation, Maria was Howard's Omega, sworn to him before anyone else - and choosing Tony over him would only mean her death. Even as he helps her put her coat on, he notices her smaller frame and the bags beneath her eyes; being separated from her child had taken a physical toll on her, but a much less severe one than what would happen if Howard were to reject her.__

____

____

*** 

Tony hums happily, sifting through the rack, Dante dozing off against his chest. He had a seat at the 'Young Innovators of Tech' panel tonight, for his work on modernising computing and communication, and was sorely lacking a nice quality shirt. 

Contrary to popular belief, having a kid hadn't slowed him down; Dante's sweet presence in his life was the catalyst for Tony registeristering his fledgling start-up, Rhodes Labs International, in just over seven months, and pushing through his patents. With the royalties from the patents, his income and the money Rhodey sent home, they had been able to start two separate savings accounts: an education fund for Dante and a fund to buy a house in California. 

Spying a warm-looking pea coat on the other side of the boutique, Tony wraps an arm under Dante's butt and heads over to it. It had been some time since he'd been shopping in the city, and Tony had forgotten how much it could wear someone out, especially when carting a baby around from shop to shop. "What do you think think of this, love? It looks like something papa would love." 

He might not have a black card anymore, or an indefinite amount of money to spend, but with his job and Rhodey's, they were definitely in a better position than they were a year ago, and could afford a few splurges here and there. Besides, having one or two luxury pieces in your closet never hurt, and coats were definitely rewearable. 

Swinging the coat over his arm, he moves further into the boutique, startling at a hand catching his wrist. "Tony Stark?" 

Slowly, he turns around, smiling tightly at Tiberius Stone."Ty, hey," Tony greets politely. Whether he does it out of courtesy or to keep his name out of the ever-revolving gossip mill or both, no one can be sure. Regardless, Ty had been a good friend once, and Tony can only hope that he's kind enough now to make this short and leave him alone after. "What are you doing here?" 

Ty had been his roommate at Phillips, a slightly-older fellow heir to his Alpha father's fortune, but while Tony had pursued an education in technology and science, Ty had gone the business route. 

"Business, though today it's a bit personal. I've got a big event tonight, and as the donors, Viastone were asked to bring a little gift for the participants," Ty explains, eyes sparkling as he holds on to Tony's wrist, casting a glance down at Dante. "Your son is really cute, Mark Antony. Is he an Alexander the Great, or more of a Marcus Aurelius?" 

Drawing back from his touch, Tony twists his body slightly, shielding his baby from Ty and cursing whoever made it so that Ty was in the city at the same time as him. "Neither, he's a Dante who gets to right his own stories," Tony says. "And don't you have an assistant to handle things like this for you? Unless it's a sex party, I don't see why you're out doing the dirty work, but even then, NDAs exist, Ty." 

Tiberius chuckles, amused by the suggestion. "I wanted to add a personal touch, you know? I'm sure little Dante would agree with me. 

"Your Omega must be really good to you if you're out in December doing personalised shopping for your donees." Tony turns on his heel, pushing his trolley through the store with Ty following close behind him. "And in SoHo of all places." 

Saddling up beside him, Ty slips the coat out of his arm, giving it a once over before throwing it across his own forearm. "Well it's not Tribeca, but the place is decent enough," he says saddling up beside Tony. "I haven't seen you around in a while, but I hear you're working for Sunset now though." 

"Yeah, I'm working R&D, so basically my dream job, and I stay in Philly now," Tony says, wrapping his arms around his baby. "Dante and I are having a little father-son trip since his dad is currently enlisted." 

"Ah, that's right, you had him with your husband who's in the army, right?" Ty leers, trying not to appear too eager at prying into Tony's life. 

"Okay first off, he's in the air force, and secondly, are you implying I had him with someone else?" Tony deadpans, rubbing Dante's back in circles. 

Ty smiles innocently, blue eyes glinting playfully as he slides Tony's items into a shop assistants arms to get ringed up. "Not at all, just... this is fast. Sunset didn't mention that you were pregnant the last time we spoke." 

"Oh, so you're discussing me? I thought you were enjoying your own marital bliss enough to leave mine alone." 

"Your venom hurts me, Tony, it really does." 

"Good, maybe you'll learn not to discuss me or my marriage." Tony sniffs, digging for his purse. As he pulls out his card, Ty stops him, shoving his card in the direction of the assistant. 

"Let me pay as an apology then." 

His black shines brighter than Tony's gold, but Tiberius Stone had never done anything out of the goodness of his heart. "There's no need, Ty. Thank you, but I humbly have to reject your offer." 

Tony slides his card across the counter and tells the ladies to charge it, ignoring Ty's pinched expression. 

"Then how about I take you and Dante out to lunch tomorrow instead? There's this new Vietnamese place I want-" 

"I'm sorry, Ty," Tony interrupts, grabbing two of the bags and directing the assistants with the others to the door, "I really can't, it's the festive season and I still have so much to do and show Dante. Besides, I have a work obligation I'm going to tonight, I might not be _together _tomorrow, if you catch my drift."__

____

____

"Well, okay then. Message received, but," Ty pauses, reaching into his breast pocket, "here's my personal line. If you do find yourself free sometime, give me a ring. I'll be in New York until the new year." 

"Will do, it was great seeing you, Julius." Tony takes the card, tucking it into his coat's pocket. 

"Great seeing you too, Mark Antony." 

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you guys enjoyed, what did you think?


End file.
